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| Africa Horn |
| Police: Kidnapped Europeans taken to Eritrea |
| 2007-03-08 |
| Security forces searching for five people linked to the British embassy, who were kidnapped in Ethiopia's remote Afar region, said on Tuesday their captors had taken them across the border into Eritrea. Asmara has vehemently denied charges by regional officials that Eritrean soldiers were responsible for last week's abduction and the Addis Ababa government has not repeated the accusation. But senior security officers leading the hunt in the north-eastern region and local people all blamed Eritrea. "Our information is that Eritrean troops came into Ethiopia, kidnapped people and then went away to Eritrea again. The kidnappers were wearing Eritrean military uniforms," said Inspector Adem Musa, the regional police chief. Local army commander Gebremarian Hadush also blamed Eritrea and said the hostages were being held in Wiema on the other side of the frontier. He said Afar separatists based in Eritrea might also be involved. "They work together with the Eritreans. They must have done this together," he said. Asked if the military was preparing a rescue mission, he replied: "That is in the hands of the federal government. We will take that measure if it is an order." A three-member British investigation team left the kidnap area on Tuesday but there was no sign it had made progress. The team did not comment as it left Berahile, a town of sandy streets that Ethiopian police are using as a staging area. The five hostages, who include diplomats and other people linked to the British embassy in Addis Ababa, are believed to have been kidnapped about 50km away in Hamad-Ile. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 I have the terrible feeling that these folks are going to turn up in the hands of AQ after a couple of weeks. The Observer placed the blame at the hands of the Eritrean military - potentially provider of succour to fleeing Somali Islamonauts? If this is the case then the Eritreans better get ready for some harsh sanctions around 2009. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2007-03-08 04:01 |